A Hamilton businessman who knows soccer is linking up with the Tiger-Cats ownership to propose a wintertime bubble dome over Tim Hortons Field to facilitate both professional soccer and recreational use by other groups. The bubble would cover only the field, not the stands and would be removed when football season arrived. According to John McGrane, a retired professional and Olympic soccer player, the project would cost $3 million dollars, all of it to be covered by private enterprise. The scheme is to be considered by City Council next month. McGrane does not want to reveal the name of financial supporters yet, especially the “lead investor” to whom he has been talking. Hamilton Spectator 

It was a thrilling day for school kids and the community as they got time off to watch the Maple Leafs make their annual visit to Dieppe Park on Cosburn Ave. Leaf Captain Dion Phaneuf talked about the quality of the ice and the rink itself in the CBC video above. Ahead of the practice, about 40 students from local schools participated in a hockey clinic with Leafs alumnus Darcy Tucker. Fellow alumni Shayne Corson and Curtis Joseph also held an autograph session. Leafs head coach Mike Babcock attended the practice, along with Mayor John Tory and Ward 29 Councillor Mary Fregedakis. The Leafs and SportChek announced at the practice they will donate a new water fill station and additional dressing room storage at Dieppe Park.

At Dieppe Park for the Leafs outdoor practice pic.twitter.com/onFXiipJyM

— Momin Qureshi (@MominYQureshi) January 11, 2016

A four-apartment building with a unit in the basement is planned for the northwest corner of Merton St. and Bayview Ave. by Garrison Creek Construction according to employees on the site. A large sign was being erected Monday morning (January 11, 2016) to announce this. There are is no City notice but the workers said permits were in order but “not posted.” The present structure is a bungalow that was renovated perhaps 15 years ago to serve as a professional office.

Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne has announced that the byelection to fill a vacant seat in the riding of Whitby-Oshawa will take place on February, 11, 2016  The recently Conservative riding will be contested by three well-known candidates. The riding was held by Christine Elliott, who unsuccessfully ran for the PC party leadership this year and lost to Patrick Brown. Her late husband, former Finance Minister Jim Flaherty, represented the riding federally. The candidates for the byelection are Elizabeth Roy, a former Whitby Councillor for the Liberals, Lorne Coe, a Whitby Councillor the Progressive Conservatives and Labour and human rights lawyer Niki Lundquist the NDP.

The newly constructed suspension bridge over the Nipigon River in Northern Ontario has snapped like a pretzel in cold weather about two months after the $106 million structure was opened. A report in the local newspaper says the shift in the bridge, captured by local resident Natalie Hardy above, closes direct traffic across Canada. According to reports, the alternative require vehicles headed west or east to detour through the United States. Westbound traffic from Thunder Bay would have to travel south to the Pigeon River Border crossing and then from Duluth to Sault Ste Marie. It says the Lake Helen First Nation Band is concerned about assisting westbound travellers who will be forced to stop on the east side of the bridge looking for gas and food. The NetNewsLedger says it may be necessary to close roads in order to keep large numbers of people from getting stranded.

Windy weather and cold temperatures have caused a tree to fall in Etobicoke, severing power to about 2,900 customers, and in Scarborough, sending a TTC bus into a tree on Lawrence Avenue East near Brimley Road. The tree subsequently fell over onto several parked cars.  Three passengers received minor injuries.  There is no cause detail on the cause of the accident but it appears to weather related. Which is what people will be dealing with this week as temperatures sink, as reported by the Weather Network above, to more seasonable winter values.

Leaside Jr. Wildcats romped to victory over the Ottawa Lady Sens Sunday afternoon at Leaside Arena. Leaside was able fend off all power play attacks by the Lady Sens as they tried to score during the Wildcats worrisome  12 minutes of penalty time. Leaside remains in 7th place in the league with the fewest games played among contending squads. Below are the teams to beat.  PWHL summary

CBC